’00 F Josh Bohlin to Army for 2021
Bohlin really emerged last season in the NAHL, scoring 16 goals and adding nine assists in 48 games. He found his game after two seasons in the USHL where he was in a more defensive role. This season Bohlin is slated to return to the Minnesota Magicians (NAHL) before heading to Army in 2021.
NZ scouts: “Josh is a strong skating power forward that won races to pucks and battled for possession on losses pucks in all three zones. He is great in the corners, protects the puck very well and uses his strength to spin off and take the puck to the net. He was not easy to contain and made the defenders exert a ton of energy every time he was on the ice.”
’01 G Cooper Black to Dartmouth for 2021
Black is a huge pickup for Reid Cashman and the Big Green. Literally, he’s huge.
Black is a 6-foot-7 goalie from Alpena, Mich. who we had ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the USHL. Last season he played for the Maryland Black Bears in the NAHL, posting a 2.58 GAA and .916 save percentage in his first year of junior hockey after starring at Alpena High.
NZ scouts on Black: “The Michigan native is huge, covers a lot of the net and explodes with power in his pushes. He stays tight, keeps his hands low and makes himself small at times to track the puck but he utilizes that 6’7 frame very well. Extremely agile cross-crease as Black has strong positioning and firm technique. Black likes to get right on the paint to challenge and will C cut and really use his inside edges to square up to the puck. Black needs to balance out his aggressive style with some more patience at times as he tracks the puck well.”
’01 D Ian Pierce to Dartmouth for 2021
The Big Green stayed busy also adding defenseman Ian Pierce, who is a New York native currently in the USHL. Last season for Dubuque he scored seven assists from the blue line. Our scouts have seen a ton of Pierce’s games playing at Kent and other teams up and down the east coast.
Pierce was originally committed to Dartmouth and recently re-affirmed his commitment to the new coaching staff.
NZ scouts: “His feet are excellent. He is quick fast and mobile. He closed really quickly on opponents and moved laterally while acting backwards well to squeeze off the rush. Stopped and started, turned and took off o avoid the forecheck. Back quickly for pucks. He has a flair up ice that at times was a bit risky as he is so fast and a few times skated into trouble but he has the skill at this level along with the recovery speed to take such chances. He really popped off the ice on the power play where he was essential breaking the puck out and really creative in the zone. Skilled and quick, he will have to become tougher to play against in his end before college but his athletic ability is evident and points to high upside.”
’00 F Lars Rodne to Niagara for 2021
Rodne is coming off his first year in North America after previously playing all of his hockey in his native Norway. It was a quick adjustment last season, as he scored 20 goals and added 17 assists in 43 games for the Bismarck Bobcats.
So far in 2020-21, he’s picked up right where he left off and has posted three goals and two assists in seven games.
Rodne was a member of Norway’s National U20 team at the World Junior Championships the last two seasons playing in the Division 1A. He also has international experience at the U18 level and played in the Youth Olympic Games in 2016.